Engineering Project Leader (Defence) in Reading

ALTEN is a global engineering and technology consultancy operating across over 35 countries worldwide. We partner with industry leaders across sectors including Aeronautics, Aerospace, Defence, Naval, Automotive, Energy, Rail, IT and many more to deliver innovative engineering solutions that drive technological advancement & support sustainable transformation. Our teams of passionate and agile engineers work on cutting‑edge projects that shape the future of technology and sustainability. At ALTEN, we empower talented engineers to innovate, solve complex challenges, and deliver impactful solutions that build tomorrow’s world—today.

Join our team as an Engineering Project Leader and take the helm of engineering delivery for cutting‑edge defence projects spanning air and land‑based systems. In this pivotal role, you will drive project execution, ensuring technical excellence, on‑time delivery, and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. Your leadership will directly contribute to the success of mission‑critical programmes, where innovation and precision are paramount.

Location: Reading
On‑site: 4 days per week minimum
Seniority: Senior (10+ years of experience)
Clearance: Due to the nature of the work, candidates must be eligible to work in the UK and capable of obtaining BPSS clearance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate engineering delivery teams, driving project execution in terms of time, cost, and quality.
• Support the creation of UPC (Unit Production Cost) targets and ensure alignment with project goals.
• Oversee the technical quality of the project, ensuring compliance with engineering standards and best practices.
• Collaborate closely with the Program Manager to align engineering activities with programme objectives.
• Apply strong scheduling, estimation, and risk management to ensure project success.
• Provide team leadership, direction, and clear communication to drive results and foster a high‑performance culture.

Qualifications:

Required Skills:

• 10+ years of experience in project engineering, with a focus on engineering development lifecycles in defence. (Aerospace and Space experience can also be considered)
• Proven ability to lead and direct engineering teams, ensuring delivery of technical objectives.
• Strong scheduling, estimation, and risk management skills.
• Experience in cost and quality management for engineering projects.
• Excellent communication, organisation, and presentation skills to drive engineering delivery.
• Familiarity with defence development processes and standards.

Soft Skills & Collaboration:

• Strong team leadership and ability to motivate and guide multidisciplinary teams.
• Clear communication and a drive for results, ensuring alignment and accountability.
• Adaptability in fast‑paced, regulated environments.
• Proactive problem‑solving and decision‑making.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant engineering field or relevant technical military background with equivalent hands‑on experience.

Desirable Skills:

• Experience with agile or hybrid project management methodologies.
• Knowledge of systems engineering principles and lifecycle management.
• Background in aerospace or defence programmes, particularly air and land‑based systems.
• Familiarity with earned value management (EVM) and project governance frameworks.

Additional Information:

We bring together entrepreneurial, tech‑driven people to deliver innovative solutions for leading companies. At ALTEN, you’ll work on exciting projects, supported by ongoing learning, mentoring, and clear career development tailored to your goals. Join a passionate team and help build tomorrow, today.

In short you get:

• A personalised career path and a rewarding management style.
• A huge diversity of engineering projects and industries.
• Private Medical Insurance.
• Cycle & Tech Scheme.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Life insurance & Pension Scheme.
• Social atmosphere, regular gatherings & team buildings.
• Flexible way of working (role dependent).

We are proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant & actively encourage applications from members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, reservists, service leavers, and military spouses/partners. We recognise the value of military skills and experience and are committed to ensuring that no applicant is unfairly disadvantaged during our recruitment and selection processes.

This role may require you to have or be willing to go through Security Clearance. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected. Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.